The Lumine News

Author: News

  • USAID Funded Organization Partners C’River To Scale Up Advocacy On Orphans And Vulnerable Children

    By Admin

    The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project under the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research (CCCRN) has expressed it’s readiness to partner with the Cross River State Government through its Ministry of International Development Cooperation (MIDC) to scale up care and protection for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). This also includes children living with HIV, infants and lactating/ pregnant mothers exposed to HIV.

    Speaking during the meeting, the State Program Manager, Mrs. Grace Essien asserted that the CCCRN is an indigenous, non-profit organization with a mandate to promote global best practices in health care delivery, medical training and research using locally adopted models of system strengthening.

    She further explained that the CCCRN is a recipient of the integrated Child Health and Social Service Award (ICHSSA) funded by USAID to ensure Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) are catered to and given adequate protections by their households and host communities.

    In her response, the MIDC Commissioner, Dr. Inyang Asibong, acknowledged the CCCRN leadership for the initiative, whilst stressing on the need to scale down to Etung, Bekwarra and Obanliku as the only 3 LGAs yet to be captured, as it is in tandem with His Excellency, Sen. (Prof.) Ben Ayade’s vision to ensure an improved livelihood for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) across the State.

    She added that the initiative will provide an increased access to high quality and comprehensive medical services with capacity building of families and communities living in target communities to cater to and protect the children in their care.

    The MIDC Permanent Secretary, Mr. Timothy Ogbang Akwaji assured CCCRN of a continuous partnership and intermittent technical interfaces especially around policy formulation.

    The initiative currently runs across 15 LGAs of the State including; Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Odukpani, Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Biase, Abi, Yakurr, Obubura, Ikom, ogoja, Boki, Yala, Obudu and Akamkpa.

  • Sandy Onor Sets Up ICT Centre, Donates 230 Digital Instructional Materials To Secondary Schools In Central Senatorial District

    By Caterpillar Media Team

    Having identified the advantages of advanced teaching and learning methods and considering the interruption of academic sessions by the novel Covid-19 pandemic and it’s devastating effect on the learning process in Nigeria, the Distinguished Senator Sandy Onor, who is Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND has set up a fully equipped Information and Communication Technology Centre in Holy Child Girls Secondary School Ikom. The Bishop of Ogoja Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Donatus E. Akpan has eulogised this important gesture in a written appreciation to the Distinguished Senator.

    In the same vein, Sen. Sandy Onor who is encouraging digital literacy has also donated 100 Desktop Computers, 30 Printers, 60 Mecury UPS, 10 Scanners, 24 fans, 10 Air Conditioners, 6 generators to the following six secondary schools in the Senatorial District:

    -Community Secondary School, Etomi and Government Secondary School, Nsofang, in Etung LGA,

    Regina Pacis Secondary School Ofumbonga Obubra LGA,

    -Community Secondary School Ugep and Community Commercial Secondary School, Ekukune Assiga Old Town, Yakurr LGA.

    -Bawop Secondary School, Boki LGA,

    In November 2020, the Senator had donated 200 furnitures to Bahumono Grammar School in Ebom, Abi LGA and one hundred desks to Community Secondary School, Idomi in Yakurr LGA.

    Similarly he has completed renovation work on Corpers’ Lodge in Igbo Imabana, Abi LGA as well as the construction of Three classroom block at Bafin Etimtim, Boki Local Government Area.

    No doubt, his representation, which has witnessed the rain of the dividends of democracy is for the good of all the people.

  • Breaking: CRUTECH Converted To UNICROSS

    By UNICROSS Media Team.

    Cross River University of Technology has been converted to University of Cross River State.

    This development followed the signing into Law of a bill to that effect by Senator Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State and Visitor to the University.

    The Bill was sponsored by Rt. Honorable Peter Odey, member representing Ogoja Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly.

    With this conversion, the erstwhile Cross River University of Technology has now become a conventional university and can now run all courses, unrestrictedly.

    Picture below shows the Vice Chancellor of UNICROSS, Professor Augustine Angba in his office today with Rt. Honorable Peter Odey, shortly after the bill was signed into law.

     

  • Ogoja LGC Partners KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Of Nigeria For A Medical Outreach

    By Justine Ilefa

    The Executive Chairman of Ogoja Local Government Council, Hon. Emmanuel Ishabor has partner KNCV Foundation, to conduct free testing and treatment of tuberculosis as well as free testing of all medical ailments.

    According to the Executive Chairman, the idea is born out of his love for his people, given that tuberculosis is prevalent in Ogoja Local Government Area.

    The Chairman averred that “We can not have any meaningful development in our Local Government Area, when the people’s health is not top most in our priority; we will continue to do everything within our reach to help our people health wise and in other aspects”.

    The Council Boss hopes that the people of Ogoja will make good use of the opportunity, to get themselves tested and treatment given to avoid the spread of the disease.

    KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation is a national and international center of expertise for TB control and a medical development organization. The organization is committed to reducing tuberculosis, in and around forty countries, including Nigeria. It does so by means of policy development, technical assistance, advisory services, training programs, capacity building, as well as epidemiological and operational research.

    KNCV is active in the following areas: policy development, multi-drug resistant TB, human resource development, research and advocacy.

    The mission of KNCV in Ogoja and every part of Nigeria is to eliminate tuberculosis through the development and implementation of effective strategies to fight the disease.

    The itinerary for Ogoja Local Government Area, is slated as follows:

    1) Monday 15/02/2021- Ishibori playground and Ndok itek.

    2) Tuesday 16/02/2021- Ogboja and Igodor.

    3) Wednesday 17/02/2021- Ekpogrinya and Egbung.

    4) Thursday 18/02/2021- Aragban Mbube and Ogboria Ochoro.

    5) Friday 19/02/2021- Idum Mbube and Nigerian Correctional Service.

     

  • Philip Obin Facilitates 110 Slots For The One-off Survival Fund For Biase LGA

    The Technical Assistant to the Vice President of Nigeria on New Media, Hon. Philip Obin is facilitating 10 slots each for the 11 wards of Biase LGA for the N30,000 one-off Survival Fund Grant.

    Total of 110 Slots = N3,300,000

    Required details:

    Surname:
    Middle name:
    First name:
    Sex:
    Phone no:
    Bank name:
    Account no:
    BVN:

    Beneficiaries must be resident in Calabar or able to travel to Calabar as physical capturing is scheduled for today, Monday 15th February, 2021.

    Also, those who were captured in December and subsequently paid are exempted, as the system already has their data and cannot pay them twice.

    Leaders of each ward have been contacted to collate and submit details of beneficiaries from their respective wards before 4pm Sunday 14th February 2021.

    Recall that 500 persons had in December, 2020 and early January, 2021, benefitted from the N30,000 one-off Artisan Grant facilitated by Hon. Philip Obin.

    Between December, 2020 and January 2021, a total of 15 million naira has been disbursed to 500 Cross Riverians. This is in addition to several others, whom the Presidential Aide has helped secure approval for COVID-19 loan applications and the Payroll support for indigenous companies, valued at over 200 million naira.

    Also, 34 members of the newly inaugurated caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River were given slots; Akamkpa and other LGAs were also considered.

    Speaking on a telephone with The Lumine News, Barr. S. A. Akpanke, lecturer and Exams officer, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar noted that Mr. Philip Obin’s love and service to Cross river youth is unprecedented. He used the opportunity to call on all youth in the state who are in a position to assist others to take the steps initiated by Mr. Obin for the betterment of our dear state.

     

  • At 55, Prof. Sandy Onor Has Undauntedly Impacted Humanity Through Effective Service Delivery.

    By Elijah Ugani

    As I reminisced on the existence of Sen. Prof. Sandy Onor in this physio temporal terrain, I am yet to come to terms with the specialty associated with the uniqueness of his creation.

    I really don’t know where to start writing this piece from, because I will end up writing a book in his honor, considering the import of his magnanimity and service to humanity.

    Sen. Onor is currently a Professor at the Department of History & International Studies in the University of Calabar, Nigeria. Where he has taught a thousand generation of scholars who are currently braking grounds and setting records in all spheres of life. He has mentored so many young persons including his peers and colleagues both in the academia and politics. No wonder the President of the Nigerian senate, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, could not control his emotions when he declared Sen. Sandy Onor as the orator of the 9th senate.

    He has authored several books, including The Ejagham Nation in the Cross River Region of Nigeria (1994 & 2015), and Local Governance in Nigeria (2005). No wonder he is vested with the needed prowess to navigate and circumvent the huddles associated with leadership within the Nigerian context.

    Prof. Sandy has been highly recognized and decorated for his scholarship and other achievements, within and outside the country.

    At various times, he had served as the Executive Chairman of Etung Local Government Council (1999-2002), Chairman, Cross River State Local Government Service Commission, Commissioner for Agriculture (2010-2011) and Commissioner for Environment (2011-2013) among other public offices.

    As a first timer in the senate, I recall my rebuttal to the attack on his person by his traducers on June 20th, 2020. I requested them to give the senator and all first timers up to December, 2020 to ask for their score cards.

    Sometimes around September, 2020 Sen. Onor rolled out a litany of constituency projects across the six local governments that made up the central senatorial district. My joy know no bounds because he didn’t disappoint me. The most important aspect of it being that majority of his constituents are very proud of his enigmatic representation and have no regret in his holding their mandate.

    The tact with which he lobbied and got the highest number of constituency projects spread across the central senatorial district in the history of the state remains a mystery.
    Sen. Onor needs to be understudied.

    His is currently distributing computer systems and accessories to five secondary schools in five local governments in the central senatorial district.

    Of recent, he seemed to be the only senator who is in touch with his constituents at regular intervals, spinning through the south, central and northern senatorial districts of the state.

    Just recently, the Ndok Clan in Ogoja local government area of northern senatorial district, honored hi with a chieftaincy title having facilitated the grading of the Ndok – Kakwagom road.

    To have been born on the day when the entire globe celebrates the virtues of St. Valentine anchored on love, goes beyond mere coincidence. There seemed to be a divine ontology associated with his birth that is yet to be unraveled.

    His love for his mentees, students, constituents, cross river state and in deed humanity at large can only be best explained by divine providence.

    Prof. Onor’s stint at the senate visa viz his past records shows that he is an embodiment of selfless service to humanity.

    His recent bill for a special fund for our health sector lay credence to the fact that he understands our basic needs and his disposition to combat them headlong is not in doubt.

    I can best describe him as an epitome of knowledge, a quintessential trailblazer, a community mobilizer and builder, an astute politician, a seasoned administrator per excellent, a contemporary scholar of very high repute, a silent archiver.

    I admire his auditory prowess, his rendition of vocabularies effortlessly to the admiration of his listeners.

    On this auspicious day of his birth anniversary, like most cross riverians out there, we are very proud of him and will continue to support every of his initiative that is geared towards service to humanity.

    The best is yet to come as the future is even brighter. We expect more from him as he begins another cycle of life today.

    Senator Onor would continue to make cross river state proud as I pray for global platform to enable him showcase and market the state in particular and Nigeria at large to the world.

    Once again, congratulations to the distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

     

  • Ikenga Prince Ezeimo Invites You To NIMO Profile Conference 2021

    By Admin

    Prince Tony Ezeimo inviting people across the globe to join in his first edition of NIMO PROFILE CONFERENCE which he said is in line with the mandate given to him by his late mother to lead a campaign against abortion.

    According to Nkanga Ezeimo “In line with my Late Mother’s instructions asking me to lead a campaign against Abortion, I present NIMO PROLIFE CONFERENCE where we shall discuss elaborately the effects, menace and consequences of induced abortion, drug/substance abuse, sexual harassment and other related Bioethical issues.

    “It will be a life changing summit for Njikoka Youths and beyond.

    “Soonest, we shall register a movement that will be saddled with the responsibility of leading  campaigns against anti-life policies.

    “I implore you to be part of this life changing movement for the benefit of my generation and the next generation”.

     

  • NBA Sues Federal Government Over IGP’s Tenure Extension

    Culled From LoyalNigerianLawyer

    Recall that the tenure of Mr. Mohammed Adamu as the Inspector General of Police which expired on the 1st day of February 2021 was further extended by 3 months.

    The leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association have looked at the said tenure extension, and is of the considered opinion that the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, does not have the powers to extend the tenure of the Inspector General of Police and that such extension is unconstitutional.

    Consequently, the Nigerian Bar Association through the NBA Public Interest Litigation Committee (NBA-PILC), has instituted a suit at the Federal High Court challenging the said tenure elongation.

    In the Suit, the NBA seeks judicial determination of the constitutionality of the President’s extension of Mr Adamu’s tenure as the Inspector-General of Police for three months after Mr Adamu had, on 1 Feburary 2021, attained thirty-five years of service as a member of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The NBA’s decision to take this extraordinary line of action is underpinned by an urgent need, and a sacred duty, to reassert the supremacy of the rule of law in the face of growing impunity and the seeming reluctance of Law Officers in Government to give proper counsel.

    The NBA’s position in the Suit is that Mr Adamu ceased to be a member of the Nigeria Police Force when he attained the milestone of thirty-five years of service. Therefore, the President’s extension of Mr Adamu’s tenure by three months, in the NBA’s respectful view, is unconstitutional.

    In the grand scheme of things, the NBA is wary that the more government officials casually violate the law, the harder it would become to expect citizens to be compliant. Citizens take their cues from their leaders and public office holders who flout the laws of the country that they are meant to uphold will discover sooner or later that their examples will be followed by those that they purport to govern.

  • NEWMAP Dissuades Cross River Communities From Indiscriminate Dumping Of Refuse Into Drains

     

    By Nsa Gill – Calabar

    The management of the Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management Project NEWMAP, Cross River State has charged benefiting communities of the World Bank assisted projects to take ownership and guide the projects jealously.

    The charge was given in a workshop on Wednesday, February 10th 2021 in Calabar organised by NEWMAP to sensitize communities on waste management and Erosion prevention.

    The Commissioner for International Development Corporation and the Acting Project Coordinator of NEWMAP in the State, Dr. Inyang Asibong decried the nonchalant attitudes of benefiting communities towards the multi-million naira projects to be eroded by irresponsible human activities.

    She averred that indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains is causing erosion even in areas where erosion control had earlier been achieved.

    Dr. Asibong charged communities to activate local waste management task force to checkmate and stop residents who often dump waste in the gutters.

    She assured that government will provide more refuse bin, but most importantly, local residents must understand the dangers and implications of indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

    Speaking during the workshop, on Effective Waste Management and Erosion Prevention, Dr. Escor Udosen, urged the communities to take responsibility for the various projects of government in their vicinity.

    One of the benefiting communities of NEWMAP projects, Ikot Ekpo community commended the various interventions of NEWMAP which has gone beyond erosion and waste management to provision of water as well as street lights in some instances.

    They pledged to do their best from the impact of the workshop and requested for the expansion of NEWMAP intervention in their area.

  • FG Inaugurates 1.12MW Power Plant in ATBU, Trains 20 Female Students On Solar Power Installation, Maintenance

     

    The Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy Agba, OFR has recorded another landmark achievement as the federal government on Thursday, inaugurated a 1.12 Megawatts Solar Hybrid Power Plant in Abubakar Tafewa Balewa University, (ATBU), Bauchi, Bauchi State.

    The historic project which is part of the Ministry of Power Energizing Education Programme (EEP), had the Rural Electrification Agency, (REA) which is one of the agencies under the direct supervision of the Minister of State as the implementing agency.

    To ensure proper maintenance of the power plant, the federal government through REA’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme trained 20 female students of ATBU on solar energy deployment.

    Speaking, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbaja who joined the commissioning ceremony visually commended the Minister and the management of REA for their efforts in achieving the project.

    Osinbanjo said that the EEP programme is a policy that’s aimed at improving electricity supply to 37 federal universities and 7 teaching hospitals in the country.

    He charged management, staff and students of the University to take charge, maintain and protect the project.

    On his part, the Minister of State said that the project is a considerable win and a major step in providing sustainable and affordable power to homes, schools, hospitals, communities and economic clusters across Nigeria.

    Agba said that “This is another milestone of the Energizing Education Programme upon the commissioning of an 8.25MW solar hybrid power plant deployed at Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi on the 4th of December 2020.

    “The EEP is meant to provide sustainable and clean power supply to 37 federal universities and 7 university teaching hospitals across Nigeria. It is a privilege to carry on this mandate to ensure that the policies established to promote 24 hours electricity in our country brings forth positive and commendable results. With this, it is with a great sense of pride that I stand before you today to affirm that this is indeed the continuation of more achievements to come”.

    While noting that the project will help the institution achieve improved quality of education, he assured that “the coming months will see my ministry delving deeper into the various projects that will electrify more universities and communities and also lead to an upgrade in Nigeria ‘s economy”.

    The 1.12MW which has created 310 jobs already was built with a world class training center, efficient solar panels and batteries, 5.4km streetlight for illumination, distribution networks as well as backup power source.

    Reacting on behalf of the university, Prof. Muhammed Abdulazeez thanked the federal government for the project even as he promised that the university will properly maintain it.

    “We are happy that the federal government through the ministry of power brought this huge project to our institution. The project will not only serve our electricity needs, it’ll serve as a training ground for a lot of our technicians. We thank the government, the Ministers and the REA team for this”, Abdulazeez said.

    Climax of the event was the handing over of the project to the University authority by the Minister of Power, Engr. Sule Mamman and presentation of certificates to STEM graduates.